Wiggles they seem to enjoy sharing too, which is brill. We have three bedrooms but the third is tiny - we might separate them when they're older and don't need as much stuff ie. toys and I suppose that teenagers might need their own space! I hope it goes well for you!

Just back from my midday job at school. I went in the infants today because we were short staffed and Isabel is off ill (we're not allowed to be with our own children). I liked it so much more! The little ones are so cute - the juniors, although they whinge less, are too cocky for my liking!

RobinSparkles Sometimes my own power shocks even me, I have no idea how I did it

Sofia and Olivia share at the minute so S got to choose if she wanted to continue sharing or if she wanted a smaller room. She went for the smaller room. S and O loved sharing - Sofia is mainly moving because she needs a desk and stuff for school. Our downstairs is all one room - living room/dining room/ kitchen and S was gettin distracted with her homework - well that's her story and she's sticking to it.

I've noticed a poster popping up on random threads posting offensive stuff. They popped up on a thread and I told them to eff off and crawl into a hole and it was deleted (along with what they posted). They got up my nose - I've never ever done that before. I've been here 6 years on and off and I've never told another poster where to go, always been well behaved. I should have just reported them <<slaps own hand>>.

emski hope you're ok. I think your gut instinct is right and you need to look after yourself, if your mum is only going to have a negative impact on you (which will bring you down and impact on your family too maybe?) then it might be best to avoid her for now. Thats easy for me to say of course, I don't know if its as simple as that, but if it was a friend or aquaintance you probably wouldnt be seeing them anymore. Hugs x x

I'm watching this sleep programme with Tanya Byron (who I love) and its making me feel...unsettled A baby just cried on it and it made me feel slightly panicked for a second thinking it was A waking up Actually the same baby is now lying in her cot staring at her Dad, if that was A she would be stood up screaming (thats not happened for a while fingers crossed!)

All is well here, I've forgotten what was posted on the old thread but thanks for all letting me know where we're all at bed and cot-wise, think we might still go for the ikea bed at Easter. I only realised today we have good friday and Easter monday off soon - yay!

Isabel not well at the moment so she's not sleeping well. She keeps crying out with head/ear/tummy ache. She's not been to school for two days and it doesn't look likely that she'll be right for tomorrow either. It's a shame because it's Parent's Conferencing tomorrow (Parent's Evening but they do it all afternoon at DD's school) and my appointment is at 3pm. The children are supposed to be at the appointment but DD is ill and I've not got anyone to look after her. It looks like I'll have to miss it, grr!

In short, Ponyo, Noah loves his bed, esp his character duvet sets. Just gets out of bed in morning and stands at his gate on his door calling to me! The first thing he said to me this morning was 'summat eat???'

Robin, go you telling that naughty poster off! Infant kiddlies are fab. Just got back from Rainbows, those girls always make me smile with their little tales!

Update on my mum. Told her today by text that I need a break and will contact her again when I'm ready (I know, texting it was crap). She kind of took it ok but put the guilts on me, as I guess anyone would. My sis has been really good though, and has said she will make sure mum is ok. Feel a bit poo about it and haven't told dh yet as he always says 'but she's your mum'. uurrgghh, he's just lucky that he gets on so well with his mum.

Any plans for Easter ladies? I'm hoping to take Ben to Longleat next Weds, and we're all off to Drayton Manor for the day and night on Good Friday. i made dh pay for that one out of his vast savings!!

Emski, I used to be one to be the "oh you can't fall out, life's too short to bear grudges and people aren't going to around forever blah blah blah" but there's only so many times you can be made to feel crap. It has a big effect on your MH, IMO and it isn't worth it.

My MIL has cut off her mum (awful, toxic woman) and feels loads better for it, I think. She was constantly stressed with things her mum had said and finally decided, after 52 years, that enough is enough and I don't blame her!

DD has just started Rainbows and loves it! Takes me back to being in the Brownies .

Oh not heard of that poster Robin, boo I missed some mn drama I hope A likes her new bed too, I will deffo let you all know! What a shame about tomorrow, can they reschedule you for another day? Poor Isabel, hope she's better soon.

emski ooh good glad N likes his bed, I think some peppa pig bedding might be a good idea too! A always asked for "poddige" as soon as she wakes up, it would be cute but recently its preceeded by "I want I want" agree with robin, she may be your mum but isn't a mum meant to be supportive and make you feel better about things rather than bring you down? I know people aren't perfect and most mums have their faults but she does sound a bit toxic. In short - don't feel guilty!

Funnily enough we are thinking about taking A to drayton manor at some point over Easter, I don't think it'll be on good friday but if it is I'll let you know!

robinsparkles that poster was stirring all over the show, resurrecting old threads, being goady. Hope I is feeling much better.

emski hopefully that's a bit of a line drawn with your Mum - give you some time and space.

We have no big plans for Easter - the girls really only get 1 week, do take away 2 days of being unable to move due to chocolate consumption and we might manage a few day trips. Although it's snowing here now. The toddler group I take Anna and Emma to is having an Easter egg hunt today - don't think it'll be in the park!

You see robin and ems at least you have the choice to cut off your parents if you feel you need to. You can't do that with PIL . emse seriously though, I hope it all works out for you in the end, and love Noah saying 'summat eat'. Alice just says 'cbeebies cbeebies' when she wakes up!

ponyo I watched the beginning of that sleep program and tbh was a bit at how well that baby was doing in the cot on her own with Dad sitting next to it. We tried exactly that so many times with Alice and it never worked. She'd end out screaming for so long and hitting herself by kicking/rolling around her cot. I wondered if they'd been doing some bits before the programme.

Well, 2 things which Alice loves doing at the moment and will actually play independently on for a little while (so sharing the ideas) are I fill up the kitchen sink with water and bubbles, stand her on a chair so she can reach it and then stick some bowls etc in the water and she loves just playing and 'cleaning' everything in the bowl for quite a long time. We have also made a den with a bed sheet over some chairs and put lots of toys and cushions inside, and again she spent most of this morning playing on her own in there. This is probably super obvious parenting things, but since I'm a first timer thought others who haven't dont the obvious tried it might want to. Any other ideas for independent play gratefully received as I'm lazy . Which reminds me, ponyo I found this book on amazon recommended via a guardian article and it looks really good re: teachers. I'm thinking of buying it and thought mrponyo might also be interested.

Ems - good luck with your mum, hopefully a bit of space will make everything clearer for you both. Tell your DH to sod off if he starts with the "but she's your mum" line - I get along well with my family but I think life is too short to be around people who make you feel rubbish, even if they're blood relatives.

L woke this morning with horrible nappy rash. Apparently he'd had a bit of diarrhoea in the early morning but hadn't woken. Also, in stark contrast to the babies toddlers who like to have a quiet poo in privacy, he did one during dinner the other night then started shouting "BIG POO!"

FIL is coming to stay with us tonight through next Saturday. I don't know if I have enough wine in the house to cope with this.

Reastie sorry you're not feeling good! Feel better soon. There's been loads of crap going round, loads of children at school off. Wish they'd stay off it's much quieter.

L will never admit that she's done a poo. If you ask her she says no and runs. I don't know who she thinks she's kidding - if I'm upstairs and she's downstairs I can still smell it a mile away! Stinky little mare!

American how are your ears? I took I to the GP yesterday and she's been put on antibiotics for an ear infection so that makes three of us.

She's still off school, although she felt a lot better today. I think I'll take her back on Monday - there's no point taking her just for Friday [bad mother].

Robin - love the new name. My ears are better but not completely clear yet. The pain is gone but now they itch and I still can't hear normally. At least the pus has stopped. [boak] How's your skin? I finished my tiny expensive pot of lip balm in less than 2 weeks and have moved on to regular vaseline - I'm shiny but my skin isn't dry anymore.

reastie - I hope you're feeling better soon. I can't imagine turning L loose at the sink. If baths are any indication, there will be water everywhere - and I'd have to completely clear the worktops in a 10 foot radius because he would want everything else too.

American you are a genius for suggesting Vaseline! It was the only thing I hadn't tried - I never thought to use something that people use as a lip balm on skin. It's a bit icky but after it has sunk in it's fine. It's AMAZING! My hands, although still covered in cuts, aren't as dry so they aren't splitting so hopefully they won't develop any new cuts. They feel softer, which is amazing because usually, even if not sore, they still feel rough and dry!

Hello all!Nice early start here robin well done on first deletion. It happens to me all the time! One poster kept on popping up on threads saying you'd not get breast cancer if you bf which obviously pissed me off so I kept telling her to stfu and she accused me of being obsessed with her american how lovely for you to have fil visit <wrings hands> yes drink plenty.It's Easter hols for us from today so I'm expecting to have to bat of yet another pil visit.We have different weeks to her so only one together so making sure that's nice and busy and dh is working bank hols so my family are coming for a change.For some reason mil has really upped her bossiness and dh is fed up.He's off to visit very sick grandfather today in hospital in London. Mil has been directing him not to go as "no one will be there and traffic bad etc"Well he only wants to see grandfather so fine but they have to make it all about them grrrr.I feel irritated cos would have been going away next week but have no money cis of stupid enforced pil holiday in may.D has another cough, has ent appointment this morning I'm thinking its grommets time.